Get ready for an unforgettable journey into the world of creativity and imagination as the 27th annual Baboró Festival is set to take place over ten days this October (Friday Oct 13 to Sunday Oct 22 ). Baboró will unfold across various venues throughout Galway city and county, promising an exhilarating lineup of entertainment and engagement for families and individuals of all ages.
Aislinn Ó hEocha, Executive Artistic Director of Baboró “said this week she is delighted to unveil three stunning festival highlights featuring aerial dance, theatre, live music and portrait photography - two of which come from as far away as Australia! The full programme of work from Belgium, England, Spain, The Netherlands, Australia and Ireland will be revealed in a few weeks,” she added.
Expect a new show from Irish companies Fidget Feet and Ceol Connected alongside world-class theatre for older children by Australian company and festival favourites, Slingsby. Also from Australia, an engaging visual art exhibition will invite Galway families to be part of the exhibition in Galway Arts Centre.
This year’s festival boasts an eclectic mix of performances, exhibitions and workshops that are sure to captivate and inspire attendees. The programme will be announced on September 5 with tickets on sale from Wednesday September 6
Irish company Fidget Feet & Ceol Connected return to the festival with When the Moon Spun Round for children aged 6 to 12 years. Galway audiences will be enthralled by this enchanting show featuring a playful mix of contemporary aerial dance and traditional music performed by tricksters in the moonlight. Come on an imaginative journey of joyful movement, where a fiddler soars high, and cloths made from the night and light and half-light are suspended, float and fall.
Ceol Connected and Fidget Feet are two leading production companies currently operating in Ireland, creating high-quality and engaging work that has toured Ireland and internationally. Since 2011 Ceol Connected has produced shows, festivals, events, albums, and other art experiences for children that draw inspiration and intrigue from the world of traditional arts. Since 1998 Fidget Feet have created, established, and nurtured the aerial dance sector in Ireland while touring nationally and internationally with their work for young audiences.
Festival favourites Fidget Feet have enthralled Baboró audiences previously with Strange Feathers, The Evles and the Shoemaker and Catch Me.
From Australia, Slingsby will perform The Boy Who Talked to Dogs for anyone aged 12+. This rough-and-tumble tale fuses shadow puppetry, live music, and stunning physical performance to bring the epic true story of the Byron Bay ‘Dog Man’ to the stage. Based on the best-selling memoir by Martin McKenna, and beautifully adapted by playwright Amy Conroy, The Boy Who Talked to Dogs is a magical and mischievous tale of transformation, redemption, and what happens when the underdog finds his pack.
Based on Kaurna Meyunna Country, Adelaide, Slingsby was founded in 2007. The company is internationally renowned for emotionally powerful storytelling for an intergenerational audience, aged 8 and up. Slingsby’s wholly original Australian productions draw audiences into magical theatrical realms, through immersive experiences and exceptional stagecraft.?
With an international reputation as a distinctive and cherished company with seasons at some of the world’s most prestigious festivals and venues. Ten of Slingsby’s original productions have now toured regionally, nationally and/or internationally across Australia, USA, Canada, Singapore, China, India, Norway, UK, Ireland, New Zealand.
As a celebrated ambassador for Australia’s creativity, Slingsby has received prestigious accolades including four Ruby Awards, a Helpmann Award and the IPAY Showcase Victor Award.? A brace of local, national, and international industry awards is testament to the company’s renown for excellence in theatre making and lifelong impact on the lives of audiences of all ages.
Slingbys have enthralled Baboró audiences previously with The Young King and The Tragical Life of Cheeseboy.
Australia features again with an engaging participative visual art exhibition from Jessica Wilson, I See You Like This. Galway families will be invited to explore their own identity through portraiture at Galway Arts Centre. This fun interactive exhibition promises to be an introspective journey into self-expression and artistic interpretation.
Tickets will go on sale the following day, Wednesday 6th September on www.baboro.ie Follow Baboró on social media or sign up to their newsletter on www.baboro.ie for the latest programme and box office announcements.
Jessica Wilson is a leading practitioner of participative art with children and their adults. She draws on local people and places to create experiences that change the way we see the ordinary world around us. She regularly develops and realises concepts that are adapted to other locations in Australia around the world and is commissioned by arts centres to collaborate with local artists to create new work.
Baboró International Arts Festival for Children is Ireland’s flagship festival devoted exclusively to children and families. Baboró is funded by The Arts Council of Ireland and Galway City and County Councils. This year’s festival is supported by their Irish Language Partner, Cúla4, Literature Partner, Charlie Byrnes and Sustainable Print Partner, iSupply. Baboró is also supported by the businesses and venues of Galway City.
